Whisper Beach (25 page)

All four of them had stopped in the foyer, looking up.

Gigi shrugged.

Van got a bad feeling.

“Gigi?”

“I was hanging around, and I saw there was clean laundry, so I thought I'd help out and put it away like I did the other day.”

“Gigi, what does my mail have to do with you putting away laundry?” Suze's voice was almost shrill. Something Van had never heard.

Van stepped forward. “Gi, where did you get the envelope?”

Gigi glanced up and over her shoulder. “I feel terrible.”

“Just give it here.” Suze started to climb the stairs, but Dorie held her back.

“Are you saying you found it upstairs?” Dorie asked.

Gigi nodded. “While I was putting away the laundry.” She took a shuddering breath.

“Where?” Dorie asked.

“I'm sorry.”

“Where?” Suze repeated.

“I was putting things away, and I opened Dana's underwear drawer and saw it. Stuck under her panties.”

“The hell you did,” Dana yelled and started after her. Dorie and Van both grabbed her.

“I'm sorry. I was just trying to be helpful.”

“Oh, you were.” Suze turned on Dana. “You were going to teach me about motorcycles and give me a manicure, and all this time you had my grant packet when you knew it means everything to me.”

“I didn't. I don't know how it got in my drawer. If it even got there. Maybe she's making the whole thing up.”

“I'm not. I'm sorry, Dana, but why did you do it?”

“I didn't.” She turned to Suze, then to Van, her face twisted in anger. “You bitches. You probably planned this together.”

“Don't be stupid, Dana.” Van could hardly control her voice.
She'd actually begun to like Dana, to forgive her for past transgressions, to sympathize with her problems with Bud. “Tell us how it ended up in your underwear drawer or why you took it. Something to make sense.”

“I don't know, I didn't take it, and I don't expect you bitches to believe me, so to hell with you.”

Dorie reached for her. “Dana, calm down.”

“You calm down; I should never have come here.” She broke away and ran up the stairs, jostling Gigi as she passed by.

Suze grabbed the envelope and opened it. “This was postmarked a week ago. She must have taken it out of the mailbox while she was here. I don't understand. Why would she do that?”

“I don't know,” Van said. It seemed gratuitously cruel even for Dana.

“What did I ever do to her?”

“I thought things were going well,” Dorie said. “I don't understand it any more than you do. I'll go talk to her in a minute.”

“I feel awful,” Gigi said, coming down the stairs. “I was just trying to be helpful and now . . .”

“Not your fault,” Van said. “Thank God you did look in her drawer. It's not too late to get it out, is it, Suze?”

“No, if I work on it tonight and tomorrow. Oh damn, there's Mother's party.”

Van gave her a squeeze. “Then get to work. If you need anything, let us know; food, library, dictation, just yell. Other than that, we won't bother you. Get going.”

Suze turned to Gigi. “Thanks. I owe you big time.”

Gigi waved her off. She'd started to cry.

Dorie and Van exchanged looks, and Suze hurried up the stairs.

“Now what?”

“I don't know.”

Van didn't either. How could Dana go shopping with them and joke around with them when all the time she'd stolen Suze's mail?

“I'm sorry.”

“Gigi, it's not your fault.”

“Come on, Gi, Dorie's right. Your finding the envelope will at least give Suze a chance.”

“It isn't too late?”

“I don't know. I sure hope not.”

“I think it's about time I had a little heart-to-heart with Dana.” Dorie marched up the stairs. Van didn't envy Dana. Not only had she lost their trust, Dorie didn't cut thieves any slack. So, besides sabotaging Suze, Dana may just have cost herself a job.

“Come on, Gi. Let's go sit down.” Van took Gigi into the living room. She didn't know what to do. Gigi had done a good thing, but it seemed like everything made her cry. She'd always been a little like that, but the death of her husband had really done a number on her psyche.

Since talking with Joe, Van had decided to ask Nate about her father. It was time to deal with it once and for all. Now she would have to add Gigi's state of mind to that talk. Because this couldn't be natural grief.

So she sat with Gigi while Gigi explained again what she was doing looking in Dana's drawer. “I knew the underwear had to be Dana's because it . . . well, it was, you know, kind of sexy.” She put her hand to her mouth and lowered her voice. “And cheap. I just opened the drawer to put it in and saw the corner of the envelope sticking out.

“I really wouldn't have looked at it if Suze hadn't been making such a big deal about her grant application. So I just took a peek. And then I knew.”

Van nodded and made soothing noises until she heard Dorie
descending the stairs. “That was quick,” Van said. “I wonder what happened.”

Dorie stormed into the living room.

“What? Is everything all right? Is Dana still denying that she stole it?”

“She's gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean gone?”

“Packed her clothes and climbed out the window.”

“She's ruined everything. Just like the old days,” Gigi murmured.

Yep,
thought Van.
Just like the old days
. Only this time Suze was the one suffering because of Dana's betrayal.

S
O DO YOU WANT TO GO LOOK FOR HER?”
V
AN ASKED
D
ORIE.

Gigi sniffed. “Why would you want to do that? She messed up everything.”

“I guess,” Dorie said. “I'm not sure if I even want her in this house. But I would like to know why she did it. She's many things, a lot of them not very likable, but I've never known her to do something this wicked.”

Van and Gigi exchanged looks. Van could distinctly remember another time when Dana had ruined everything. And Gigi remembered it, too.

“But I don't want her going back to Bud. I guess we have to look.”

“After what she did?” Gigi asked incredulously.

Van searched Gigi's face. This attitude was so not like the old Gigi who was all forgiveness and compassion. Life hadn't been easy for her, but it hadn't made her stronger, just more defeated.

“Dorie, can you call her?” Van asked. “Not that she'll answer. She's been ignoring Bud's calls all week, but it's worth a shot.”

Dorie rummaged in the bag she'd thrown on the floor. “I keep all my staff, even part-timers in here.” She found the number, waited. “Dana, pick up. At least call me back. I'm not going to accuse you of anything. But don't do anything stupid because you're angry. Do not go back to Bud's. Call me.”

She hung up. Shook her head.

“Can you text her?”

“If you want to watch me grow old.” She handed the phone to Van. “You do it.”

“Okay; what should I say?”

“That I'll kick her butt if she goes back to that—”

“Could you be a little more concise?” Van asked, her thumbs hovering over the phone.

“‘Come back.' No wait. ‘You'd better show up for work. I'm counting on you. If you don't care about me, think of the money.' Concise enough?”

Van finished entering the text, pressed send. “Yes, if only she'll bother to read it.”

“I'll try Mike's.” Dorie took the phone back, but Mike hadn't seen her. “He said he'd call if she comes in and try to keep her there until we can come get her.” Dorie frowned. “I know you're all pretty mad at her. I am, too. Disappointed really. But we can't give up on her. Not now when she finally made an attempt to get away from Bud.”

“I understand,” Van said. Dorie just didn't give up on people. Van respected her for it, even though she didn't think Dana deserved it. She hadn't thought she'd deserved it when she left all those years ago. She'd come to Dorie and she'd done a bunk, just
like Dana. Of course Van hadn't stolen anything, but she was just beginning to realize that she had a lot to answer for.

“I think I'll just take a spin around the neighborhood and see if I can catch up with her.”

“What are you going to do to her?” Gigi's expression was comically alarmed.

“Nothing bad. I probably won't even find her.”

“I'll come with you.”

“Thanks, but you stay here and keep Dorie company.” She shot a quick glance toward Dorie.

Dorie picked up on it immediately. “Yes, please, Gigi. I really feel like some company right now. Would you mind staying for a little while?”

“Of course I'll stay,” Gigi said. “Why don't we go back to the kitchen? I'll make some tea or coffee for you.” She took Dorie by the arm as if Dorie were an old lady, and they tottered down the hall.

Van grabbed her bag and ran for her car. She spent the next hour driving up and down the streets of Whisper Beach. She started close to home, hoping she might catch Dana as she was walking somewhere. Van gradually spread out into the adjacent beach towns since she had no clear idea of where Dana might go.

She checked the Crab, but no one had seen her. She was afraid Dana might go back to Bud's, and if she did, there was nothing much they could do about it. But if she didn't go there, where would she—

Van stopped searching the streets and drove straight to Grandy's Marina. Of course Dana would go to Joe. He wouldn't turn her away. And in Dana's mind, it would be putting the screws to Van once more. So be it.

She would make sure Dana was safe and she'd walk away.

Dana was sitting on the steps of the marina when Van drove into the parking lot. She stood up, started to go into the house, changed her mind, and stood defiantly with her arms crossed while Van got out of the car and crossed the parking lot.

“Dorie is worried about you,” Van said without preamble.

Dana just gave attitude.

Van gritted her teeth.

“Did she send you to look for me?”

“Actually it was my idea. I figured even someone who would do something like you just pulled deserved not to have to go back to an abusive relationship.”

“As you can see, I didn't.” Dana glanced back at the door. “Joe's been trying to get me to move in with him for ages. I really like Bud better, but what the hell. Joe's almost as good in bed as Bud.” A sly smile slid across her face and was gone. “Oh, but you wouldn't know if he's good or not, would you?”

“Dana, cut it out. You can't hurt me, and you can only make yourself look pitiful.”

“Eff you. If you came to see Joe, you can't. He's in the shower.” Another of her insinuating smiles.

Van got it. She didn't know whether to believe it or not. She clamped down on the next thought, that Dana would of course come to another man. And she tried to convince herself that it wasn't her business what they did, and that she didn't care.

“I wasn't looking for Joe. I was looking for you. Dorie wanted me to tell you that she wants you to show up for work tonight.” Though Van couldn't understand why.

Dana sighed.

“And I'm telling you that you'd better not leave her in the lurch. Not after all she's done for all of us. You can hate Suze and Gigi
and me, but Dorie doesn't deserve anything but your loyalty. So get your butt over to the Crab and waitress tonight. Besides, as Dorie pointed out, you'll need the money.”

Without waiting for an answer or a snide remark, Van turned on her heel, walked straight to her car, and drove away. She made it all the way to the first traffic light before she screamed several epithets that she would never use in hearing distance of anyone.

She did care. All right, there it was. Ever since seeing Joe again she realized that she still cared for him. She wasn't sure how exactly, but Dana had just put an end to any possibilities. And Van had no right to complain. She'd left him and that was that.

She wasn't sure she would even welcome the opportunity to get closer to him. For that matter, she didn't know if Dana was just trying to hurt herself. Even with the distance of time, Van didn't see Joe as someone who would be interested in Dana as anything but a friend and possibly . . .

She wouldn't think about it. It had nothing to do with her. The light changed; she sped off. To hell with both of them. She'd done her duty, found Dana, told her to go to work. It was over.

Now all she had to do was finish her plans for the Crab, buoy Gigi up for a few days . . . deal with her house, which meant she would have to talk to Uncle Nate. See her father? Maybe. And then her vacation would be over.

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here . . . Wish you were here instead of me.

J
OE WAS DRYING
off and looking out the window when a car pulled out of the parking lot and swung right toward the bridge.
He'd seen that car before. He'd ridden in that car. The night of the brawl at Mike's.

He got a rush of expectation followed closely by a rush of anger. Van had probably come looking for Dana.

Maybe Van had only come to make sure she was okay. And finding that she was, she left. But he doubted it was that simple. Nothing with Dana was that simple. The woman was so self-destructive, she was hard to be around. But he'd be damned if she'd bring him down with her.

He wrapped a towel around himself and strode out to the front door.

Dana was standing on the top step, looking toward the road, but she turned around when she heard him open the door.

“We-e-ell,” she said at her most vampish.

“Cut it out; was that Van who just drove away?”

“Yeah, she just came to tell me to come to work.”

“And what did you tell her?”

“That you were in the shower.” She gave him one of her come-on smiles. It turned Joe's stomach. “And you sure are a temptation, standing there in that skimpy little towel.”

Joe instinctively clutched the towel tighter. “Why the hell did you do that? God, you just couldn't help yourself, could you.”

“Because she just assumed I came running here to get laid or something, so I let her think it.”

Dana stepped up to the threshold and grabbed the towel. Joe grabbed her wrist so hard that she squeaked. He let go.

“Bastard.”

“Sorry, but you just don't let up.”

She pouted at him. “She's going to leave you high and dry—again.”

“Stop it. You screwed up things between me and Van before,
and you're determined to do it again. Why? What did we ever do to you?”

Dana's bottom lip quivered, and Joe thought,
Please don't start crying
.

“Because you were happy,” she spat.

She brushed past him, all the seduction drained from her. She grabbed her duffel and purse.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to Bud. He at least loves me. And in case you're wondering, I didn't steal that stupid letter. One of them did and put it in my room. You think they're so great? Screw you.”

Joe grabbed the duffel and wrested it out of her hand. She lunged for it and Joe almost lost hold of his towel. He let the duffel go instead. “Stay here. I'm getting dressed, then I'm taking you to the Crab. It's probably time for your shift. And then you're going back to Dorie's until we can figure out a permanent solution.

“But I'm taking your duffel, and if you run, I swear I'll call the cops and have you thrown in jail.”

“You wouldn't.”

“Don't test it.”

She was sitting on the front steps when he came out again.

He carried her stuff outside. They got in his truck without speaking.

“I'm only letting you do this because I need the money.”

“Fine.”

They drove in silence. Joe parked the truck by the Crab's kitchen entrance. “Dana, you're not a bad person. I don't know why you have this need to keep pissing people off. But it really needs to stop. And don't say you can't help it. You can. But you have to stay away from Bud until he gets help. Maybe even then.
Because one day he will go too far and kill you. And I don't think even you want that.”

She scowled at him, got out of the car, and slammed the door. She walked into the restaurant without looking back.

He'd done what he could. He washed his hands of her. Now he needed to go explain things to Van.

He parked in front of Dorie's. Van's car was there. So was Gigi's. He sat for a minute trying to decide how to get Van out without going through her front guard, Dorie, Suze, and Gigi.

He could call Van's cell, but if she saw caller ID, she might not answer. He made the call. It went to voice mail. Maybe she didn't hear it. He called again. Still no response. He left a message. “Please call me.”

He sat for five minutes. No return call. Fine, he'd just sit in his truck until she came out.

Twenty minutes went by. Someone tapped on his window, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

Van's face appeared on the other side. She was frowning.

He didn't bother to open the window, just opened the door and slid out.

“Why are you sitting out here? Dana didn't go back inside, did she? Dorie already left for the Crab, and Suze will draw blood.”

“Where were you ? I called you twice.”

“I was out taking a walk. I left my cell in my car.”

“Feel like taking another walk?”

“Why?”

“Because I need to explain about Dana.”

She rolled her eyes; she couldn't help it. Dorie's influence.

“There's nothing going on with us. There was never anything going on with us. She just likes to cause trouble.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I will if you'll just walk with me.”

“That was just an expression. Your life is your business. That's okay. Everything's okay.”

“Maybe for you but not for me.”

“What's wrong?” She looked closely at his face; he seemed tired but not sick or anything.

“You dumped me.”

“What?”

“You dumped me, and I never knew why.”

“Oh, come on, Joe, it's ancient history.”

“It doesn't feel ancient to me. Or maybe it does. But I'm here and you're here, so I thought maybe you could just tell me why.”

Van looked at him. Why did it even matter? Why did he care that she think he wasn't sleeping with Dana?